Solenoid-motor.



L. F. HOWARD.

APPLI Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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g) W W L. F. HOWARD.

SOLENOID MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 23,1906. 899,598. Patented Sept. 29, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fl iin/esses:

; Allegheny UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

LEM U EL 1" RE DERIO HOWARD, OI EDGEWOOI) PARK, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SOLENOID-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

T ofall whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, LEMUEL. HOWARD, a citizen of the United sidingat Edgewood Park, in the FREDERIC States, re-

county of and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Solenoid-Motors, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to cushioning devices for solenoid motors, its object being to absent the momentum of moving parts without producing any considerable strain or shock on the apparatus.

The invention is applicable to solenoid motors used for various purposes and in the present case I have illustrated it in connection with a railway signal operated by a solenoid motor.

I will describe my invention and features in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figures 1 and 2 are elevations, partly'in section and partly broken away, of a railway signal and a solenoid for operating it, the parts being shown in different positions in the two figures. Figs. 3 and 4 are views, similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing a modification. v

Itis well known that if a coil of wire is wound so as to leave an opening through its center, as would be the case when it is wound on a tube of non-magnetic material, and a bar of iron is introduced partway into the coil and released when the coil is energized, the bar will be drawn into the coil and be carried by its inertia beyond the center of the coil. It will then be drawn back and finally come to rest in such position that its center coincides with the center of the coil, assuming both bar and coil to be symmetrical and the bar. free to move in both directions. to move parts such as a signal, it is necessary preferred embodiments of to limit the movement of the core in one direction and if a rigid stop is employed for this purpose, es ecially when the moving parts have considerable weight there is necessarily considerable shock and strain to the apparatus. By my invention rigid stops are movement of the core beyond acertain limit.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a semaphore assume danger position.

' gravity to the then point out the novel Where solenoids are employed B indicates the coils of a solenoid and Cthe yoke. The core is in two sections, 1) and b. The section b, which may be termed the operative section, is connected to a lever c and the latter is connected by a rod (Z to the part to be moved, in this case the signal A. When the coils of the solenoid are deenergized thesection b of the core will fall by position indicated in Fig. 1, the signal will indicate danger as shown, and there will be a space between the inner ends of the two sections of the core. The section b of the core has, preferably, a conical recess a in its inner end, and the inner end y of the section b is conical to lit in the recess :r. The advantage of this construction is that when the section 6 moves inwardly to engage the section b in the conicalrecess which will relieve the shock and prevent undue wear on the op-' posing ends. The section b of the core' is provided with a collar 1) of material which normally rests on .C and, being rigidly connected to the section b of the core,,will prevent inward movement of such section beyond its normal position. v

Such being a preferred, construction, the operation is'as follows: When the coils are energized the section b will move inwardly and the section b will have a tendency to also move inwardly, but will be prevented by its collar 6 and consequently it will remain at rest and have a tendency 'to resist outward movement. As soon, therefore, as the section 12 engages the. latter will resist further inward'movement of the former, but the in ertia of I) added to the magnetic forces acting on it will be sufficient to overcome the resistance of b and since the latter is free to move outwardly the sections 1) and b will move together for a short distance as indicated in Fig. 2, and the resistance offered by b{ to the movementof b will not cause any appreciable shock or strain to the apparatus. As soon as the upward movement-of the two sections ceases they will move back together until the collar rests on the yoke O and will remain in such position until the coils are deenergized when the section b will drop away from b to the position shown in Fig. 1 The 1nward movement of section 6 moves the signal to safety position.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the parts are the same as in Figs. 1 and 2, with the eX- ception that the section b is centrally bored an air cushion will be formed non-magneticv the yoke pin b and the resistance offered very little shock or strain will occur moving parts are stopped.

to receive a pin 1)? of magnetic material. This pin is free to slide in the section b and l its inward movement is limited by a head I). The inner end of the pin 6 projects into the space normally existing between the i ner ends of the sections 1) and b of the core. When the coils are energized the pin b will also have a tendency to move inwardly but as it is prevented by the head I) from having this movement it will remain at rest with a tendency to resist outward movement. During the inward movement of the section b the latter will first come in contact with the by the latter will tend to lessen the force of contact between 1) and b and thus render the pull of the The section core on the lever more uniform of b as al- I will also resist the movement ready described.

It will thus be seen that the magnetic forces of the solenoid are utilized to cushion the inward movement of the core and that when the Vithout limiting myself to the precise deta'ls of construction illustrated and described, I claim:

1. A solenoid motor having a core comprising two sections normally tending to move inwardly in opposite directions, one of t having a conical inner end and the other a conical recess in its inner end to receive said conical end,and one of said sections being free and unobstructed to move outwardly when engaged by the other section on its inward movement but provided with means for ment under the influence of magnetic forces of the coils.

2. A solenoid motor having a core comprising two sect-ions normally separated when the coils of the solenoid are deenergized, and normally tending to move inwardly in opposite directions when said coils are energized, means for limiting theinward movement of one sect-ion under the influence of magnetic forces, and said last named section being centrally bored, a pin extending bore into the space normally existing between said sections, and means for limiting the inward movement of said pin under the influence of magnetic forces, and both the pin and the section through which it extends being movable engaged by the other section on its inward movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

LEMUEL FREDERIC HOWARD.

through said Vfitnesses A. HERMAN WEGNER, JOSEPH E. WALsn.

limiting its inward move outwardly when 

